Rail-anchor.



A. L. STANFORD.

RAH. ANCHOR. APPLICATION FILED OCT- 3. l9]?- Patented May 28,1918.

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ARTHUR L. STANFORD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BAIL-ANCHOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2s, "1.918.

Applicationfiledflctober 8, 1917. Serial No, 195,325.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ARTHUR L. S'rrmronn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, int-he county ofCook and State of Illinois, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Anchors,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rail anchors of the general type shown in my :Patent No.

1,196,488, issued to me August :29, 1916;

and the object of the presentinvention is 'to provide means for maintaining the anchor in position on the rail'flange, of such a character as will obviate the necessity for using threaded nuts or like threaded elements, which are somewhat expensive to; provide and are otherwise objectionable.

The rail anchor of thepresent invention is one which may be fitted to place by the nse' of an ordinaryhannner, sledge or 1 the like, an'd a rail spike, and when in place will maintain itself rigidly under all conditions.

The rail anchor of'the 'presentinvention is one which is fitted to turn or cant slightly on the rail flange when subjected to stress occasioned by the creeping tendency in a rail, so that practically all of the stress to which the anchor is subjected willbe cen- Figure l is a view showing the rail base in cross section, with the anchor of the present invention in gripping relation thereto; Fig. 2 is an outer orback viewof-the rail anchor;

Fig. 3 is a top or plan View of the same with the rail removed;

Fig. 1 is a similar view showing the looking collar in position to be driven to place; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the locking collar;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a collar of slightly modified form; and

Fig. 7 isa top or plan view of a modification.

The anchor consists essentially of two parts, arail gripping element 6 and a locking collar 7. The rail gripping element is substantially identical with that shown in Pat-ent No. 1,146,488, and embodies a 8 consisting of an overhanging portion. 9 and a base portion 10 in spaced ,relation to one another. The ,jaw portion is reinforced at each end by outstanding flanges l1 and 511, the forward ,flange 51.1 at 'its lower end merging into a foot 12 slightly rounded on its forward -or acting face 1 3, so thatiit "will rockagainst the face of the adjacent tie. thereby causing the ,jaw ,to

tilt or cant slightly when subjected to the action of a creeping rail, .which ,rocking or'canting of-theianchor ,will be resisted at the lower end of the foot;by the-contact of 'the tie, so that a gripping or biting action will be-exertedon the flangepf the rail.

The foot is reinforced from behind by a web 14 which connects with and merges into the 'PGHIIDOSlZ flange 11., and the aw is further reinforced by a longitudinally extending rib 15 which bridges the space between the two flanges.

The metal composing-the flanges 11 and 11 is extended inwardly to afford converging connecting bars 16, 16, which, at the point of connection with-the j ;a w ;ele ment, are "connected by a cross web .17.

,The connecting bars are of a-lengthto. extend under the. rail base and toprojectforsome distance beyond with their tips in contact, 'asshown iniFiga-i. The tips are inform to be-engaged byia square. locking collar 18,

which isprovided with ,a square aperture 19 having vertical and cross dimensions sufficient on-lytoireceive the two bars; when in parallel: relation to oneanother.

The locking collar is reinforced around its outer and inner faces by outer and inner flanges 20 and 21, theaformer of whichpn each side of the aperture isprovided-with roundedoutwardly projecting lips. 22 over w'vhich the tip ends of the connectingbars are adapted tobe struck, down, and hooked over; as indicated in i Fig. .3. Theinner flan-ge at :its upper end is providediwith. a

aw extension 23 adapted to be struck down to overlie the edge of the rail flange after the parts have been driven to place. in lieu of the jaw extension 23, a rigid or fixed jaw i l, like that shown in Fig. 6, may be provided, which, however, is adapted only to fit onto rails having definite flange dimensions, whereas the bendable jaw 23 may be fitted to flanges of any standard size.

In order to facilitate the striking down of the tip ends 25 of the connecting bars, the tips are inwardly rounded, so that when brought together as in Fig. lthey will afford a recess or depression into which a spike or other pointed tool may be inserted for driving purposes.

In use, the gripping jaw will be driven into place on the flange of the rail and in close proximity to the face of the tie, and the collar will then be inserted, as indicated in Fig. i, and afterward driven to place to abut against the opposing rail flange and the jaw extension struck down to engage the upper edge of the rail flange, as indicated. This driving in of the locking collar draws the converging connecting bars inwardly into parallelism within the collar, which can be readily accomplished by making the anchor of malleable iron; and in order to maintain the parts in locked relationship when the collar is driven to place, the tip ends of the bars are struck down and hooked over, as indicated in Fig. 3, by driving a wedge or spike between them and spreading them after the manner of a cotter pin. This method of locking the parts in place obviates the necessity for using screws or other threaded elements, which are relatively expensive to manufacture and are more dilficultto maintain in locking relation.

Fig. 7 shows a slightly modified form of construction, in which a single connecting bar 26, provided with a split end 2'7, is employed in lieu of the con'ipanion connecting bars 16-16. In this modification, the locking collar is forced to place and the ends 27 are spread or struck over in the manner herein described. .Although this modification of Fig. 7 does not possess the advantage of the wedging action which characterizes the preferred construction, nevertheless, this modified form may be successfully used in most cases.

The device as a whole is extremely simple and readily adaptable. to rails of anions sizes, and the gripping parts which are in tended to resist creeping tendency are made strong and rigid, while the locking elements, which are simply designed to maintain the jaw elements in co-active relation with the rail."are made correspondingly light. The device as a whole is one which is extremely simple to manufacture and is easy of application, which are important features in the art to which the invention pertains.

raeaeoa in the preferred form of the invention, the two converging connecting bars constitute, in effect, a collapsible wedge, the ends of which will be forcibly drawn together by the driving on of the locking collar, so that the latter will tend,'when driven to place, to fit tightly to the connecting means and will adapt itself to rail bases of varying width without the necessity for a machining or careful fitting of the parts, which is a matter of great importance in the manufacture of devices of this character.

From the description it will be noted that it is not the intention, howeven-to limit the claims to the preferred construction, since any construction in which the end of the connecting means may be spread, struck over or upset is within the scope of the inven tion, unless otherwise specified in the claims.

I claim:

1. A rail anchor consisting of a jaw member adapted to grip a rail flange, connecting means adapted to underlie the rail base, a locking member adapted to be driven onto the connecting means, and the connecting means having end portions adapted to be struck over to retain the locking member in position, substantially as described.

2. A rail'anchor consisting of a jaw member adapted to grip a rail flange, connecting means adapted to underlie the rail base, a

locking member adapted to be driven onto the connecting means, the connecting. means having end portions adapted to be struck over to retain the locking member in position, and a jaw element on the locking menu ber adapted to overlie the opposing rail flange, substantially as described.

A rail anchor consisting of a jaw member adapted to grip a rail flange and eX- tended on its under side to furnish a foot adapted to abut against the tie, connecting means adapted to underlie the rail base, a locking member adapted to be driven onto the connecting means, and the connecting means having end portions adapted to he struck over to retain the locking member in position, substantially as described.

t. A rail anchor consisting of a jaw ll'l0l1lber adapted to grip a rail fiange and extended on its under side to furnish a foot adapted to abut against the tie, connecting means adapted to underlie therail base. a locking member adapted to be driven onto the connecting means, the connecting means having end portions adapted to be struck over to retain the locking member in position, and a jaw element on the locking memher adapted to overlie the opposing rail flange, substantially as described.

5. in a rail anchor, the combination of a gripping member adapted to engage a rail flange, transverse connecting bars adapted to underlie he rail base. and a locking collar adapt-ed to be driven onto the ends of the connecting bars to abut against the oppo site rail fla-nge, and the ends of theconnect' ing. bars being adapted'to be spreadto hold the locking collar in lockingrelationto the rail flange, substantially as described 6. In a rail anchor, the combination of agrippingmember adapted to engage. arail flan and provided with, a depending foot adapted to abut against the face of the tie, transverse; connecting bars adapted to underlie therail base, and a lockingcollar adapted tov be driven onto the ends of the connecting: bars to abut against'the opposite rail flange, andthe ends oftheiconnecti ng bars being adapted to be spread to hold the locking collar in locking relation to the rail flange, substantially as described.

7. In a rail anchor, the combination of a gripping member adapted to engage a rail flange, converging. transverse connecting bars adapted to underlie the rail base, and a locking collar adapted to be driven onto the ends of the connecting bars to abut against the opposite rail flange, and the ends of the connecting bars being adapted to be spread to hold the locking collar in looking relation to the rail flange, substantially as described.

8. In a rail anchor, the combination of a gripping member adapted to engage a rail flange and provided with a depending foot adapted to abut against the face of the tie, converging transverse connecting bars adapted to underlie the rail base, and a locking collar adapted to be driven onto the ends of the connecting bars to abut against the opposite rail flange, and the ends of the connecting bars being adapted to be spread to hold the locking collar in locking relation to the rail flange, substantially as described.

9. In a rail anchor, the combination of a gripping member adapted to engage a rail flange. transverse connecting bars adapted to underlie the rail base, a locking collar adapted to be driven onto the ends of the connecting bars to abut against the opposite rail flange, and the ends of the connecting bars being adapted to be spread to hold the locking collar in locking relation to the rail flange, and a jaw member on the locking collar adapted to overlie the edge of the opposing rail flange, substantially as described.

10. In a rail anchor, the combination of a gripping member adapted to engage a rail flange and provided with a depending foot adapted to abut against the face of the tie. transverse connecting bars adapted to underlie the rail base, a locking collar adapted to be driven onto the ends of the connecting bars to abut against the opposite rail flange, and the ends of the connecting bars being adapted to be spread to hold the locking collar in locking relation to the rail flange. and a jaw member on the locking collar adapted to overlie the edge of the "the opposite rail flzingegand the ends of the opposing rail flange, substantially as described. p j

11. In a rail ianchor, thecombination'of a gripping member adaptedto'enga-gear'rail flange. converging transverse connecting 7 bars ,ad apted to'underlie' the rail base," a lockingcollar adapted to be driven onto the face ofthe connecting bars to abut" against connectingbars being adapted tob'e spread to hold the locking collar inlocking 'rela tion to the rail flange, and a jaw member on the locking collar adapted to overlie the edge of the opposing. rail flange, substantially as described. j p

12. In a rail anchor. the combination of a gripping nember adapted to engage a rail flange and provided'with adependin'g foot adapted to abut against the face of the tie,- convergingtransverse connecting b'ars adapted to underlie the rail base, a locking collar adapted to be driven onto the ends of the connecting bars to abut against the opposite rail flange. and the ends of the con necting bars being adapted to be spread to hold the locking collar in looking relation to the rail flange, and a jaw member on the locking collar adapted to overlie the edge of the opposing rail flange, substantially as described.

13. In a rail anchor, the combination of a gripping member consisting of a jaw having reinforcing flanges at its front and rear ends and adapted to engage a rail flange, a pair of connecting bars inwardly extending from the front and rear flanges and converging toward one another, and a locking collar provided with an opening adapted to receive and engage the ends of the connecting bars, the bars being of a length to project beyond the collar when driven to contact with the opposing rail flange and adapted to be hooked down over the collar to hold the same in place, substantially as described.

14. In a rail anchor, the combination of a gripping member consisting of a jaw having reinforcing flanges at its front and rear ends and adapted to engage a rail flange. a pair of connectingbars inwardly extending from the front and rear flanges and converging toward one another, a lock ing collar provided with a slot adapted to receive and engage the ends of the connect ing bars, the bars being of a length to project beyond the collar when driven to contact with the opposing rail flange and adapted to be hooked down over the collar to hold the same in place. and a jaw member on the collar adapted to engage the upper edge of the opposing rail flange, substantially as described.

15. In a rail anchor, the combination of a gripping member consisting of a jaw having reinforcing flanges at its front and rear ends and adapted to engage a rail flange, a pair of connecting bars inwardly extending from the front and rear flanges and, converging toward one another, a locle ing collar provided with a slot adapted to receive and engage the ends of the connecting bars, the bars being of a length to project beyond the collar When driven to contact With the opposing rail flange and adapted to be hooked down over the collar to hold the same in place, and a depending foot on the rail grippinginember having a rounded face and adapted to abut against the tie, substantially as' described.

16. In a rail anchor, the combination of a gripping member consisting of a jaw having reinforcing flanges at its front and rear ends and adapted to engage a rail flange, a pair of connecting bars inwardly extending from the front and rear flanges and converging toward one another, a lockaasaeoa ing collar provided with a slot adapted to receive and engagethe ends of the connecting bars, the bars being of a length to project beyond the collar when driven to contact with the opposing rail flange and adapted to be hooked down over the collar to hold the same in place, and a depending foot on the rail gripping member having a rounded face and adapted to abut against the tie, substantially as described.

17. In a rail anchor, the combination of a gripping member adapted to engage a ran flange, a connecting device inthe form of a coflapsible Wedge and having a convergence away from the jaw member and locking means adapted to be driven onto the converged end of the connecting means to draw in the same and furnish an abutment for the opposite rail flange, substan- @ontca or thin patent may be obtained. for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, E. 

